Austin, TX – Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) thanked Representative Wayne Christian (R-Center) today for sponsoring two amendments to the state budget passed by the Texas House of Representatives this weekend.

Christian’s amendment 143 to House Bill 1 (the general appropriations bill), adopted by a vote of 110-24-10, will require that universities which choose to use appropriated money to operate a “Gender and Sexuality Center” or other similar center also equally fund a “Traditional and Family Values Center.” Amendment 144 to House Bill 1, also sponsored by Christian, would have required universities to use appropriated funds to ensure that at least ten percent of their undergraduate curriculum provided instruction in Western Civilization, as approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and designated in the institution’s course catalog. Amendment 144 was tabled by a vote of 108-27-4.

Young Conservatives of Texas worked with Representative Christian to develop the budget amendments. Tony McDonald, YCT Senior Vice Chairman, commented:

“When I brought these ideas to Representative Christian and his staff, he immediately recognized the importance of these measures. I would like to thank Representative Christian and his staff for authoring and sponsoring the amendments. While only the equal-funding-for-traditional-values amendment was adopted, we consider this a great success. We believe that along with addressing that key issue, both amendments raised awareness amongst the Representatives on each front. We hope that the equal-funding-for-traditional-values amendment will remain a part of the budget as House Bill 1 navigates the Senate and conference committee process”

The University of Texas operates a “Gender and Sexuality Center” which serves women and the LGBTQA Community. In recent months the center has hosted a seminar on “Religion and Sexuality” as part of their “Living with Pride Series,” and a “Gender Performance Workshop” that provided “lots of wigs and makeup and more,” amongst other events. The center also hosts a separate graduation ceremony for homosexual students called the “Lavender Graduation.”

The University of Texas is not alone in sponsoring a gender identity center. Texas A&M operates an “LGBT Resource Center” which annually hosts “Coming Out Week” and “Celebrate Bisexuality Day.”

“It is clear that our public universities are funding centers which promote a radical political and social agenda in favor of normalizing homosexuality and expanding homosexual rights,” added Mr. McDonald. “We thank Representative Christian for exposing these centers and demanding that universities either stop funding them, or equally fund the promotion of traditional values.”

Amendment 144, the Western Civilization amendment, received considerable opposition from Democratic representatives.

“I was frankly amazed to see the level of opposition to the Western civilization amendment raised by the Democrats,” commented Mr. McDonald. “Education in the institutions and ideas unique to Western Civilization and the history of their development is sorely lacking in higher education.” “The idea that education in these ideas is somehow racist is absurd and insulting.” It is very sad that the Democrats who argued this radical viewpoint on the house floor succeeded in tabling the amendment.”

Representative Wayne Christian represents House District 9, which covers Nacogdoches and other parts of East Texas. He has served as President of the Texas Conservative Coalition and received the “Torch of Freedom” Award from Young Conservatives of Texas at their annual convention in February of this year.

Young Conservatives of Texas has been promoting conservatism at universities across the Lone Star State for over three decades. The state’s most active political youth organization, YCT is composed of hundreds of members and alumni who participate in the full spectrum of politics. YCT issues the most respected ratings of the Texas legislature and is the only conservative group to have done so without interruption over the past 18 legislative sessions. To learn more about YCT, their ratings, or for information on joining, please visit www.yct.org.